Electrical switch and interlocking casing



2 SHEETS-SHEET I.

Patented Nov. 21, 1922..

Ill/IIIA llilllllllllllzl l Ill l B. D. HORTON.

ELECTRICAL swncH AND INTERLocKING cAsING.

APPLICATION FILED JULY I7, I9I8.

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B. D. HORTON.

ELECTRICAL SWITCH AND INTERLOCKING CASING.

APPLICATION FILED JULY I7. |918. I

1,436,622. PwnwdNov- 21,1922

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

may be of the quick Patented Nov. 21, 1922 UNITED STATES BRYSON DEXTERHOBTON, OF DETROIT, MICHIGAN.

ELECTRICAL SWITCH ANI) INTERLOCKING CASING.

Application led July 17, 1918. Serial No. 245,274.

To all 'whom t may conce/m:

Be it known that I, BnYsoN DEXTER HonyroN, a citizen of the UnitedStates, residing at Detroit, in the county of Wayne and State ofMichigan, have invented certain new and useful Improvements inElectrical Switches and Interlocking Casings, of which the following isa clear, full, and concise description thereof.

My invention relates to electrical switches of the enclosed type inwhich the switch suitably insulated from the electrical contacts of theswitch.

One of the objects of this invention is to provide an enclosedelectrical switch so arranged that normally the cover cannot be openeduntil. the switch is opened.

It is a to so arrange the elements that the switch cannot be closeduntil the cover is closed in the normal operation of the device.

It is to be noted that if an enclosed switch was equipped solely withthe device operating as noted above, it would be impossible for theinspector or test man to run a test or inspect the switch without irstshutting off the customers power. It is, therefore, a further object ofthis invention to remedy this defect by providing yauxiliary meanswhereby it is possible for fa suitably equipped authorized person toopen the cover independently of the switch and to close the switchindependently of the cover.

It' is a furtherl object 'of this invention to provide for locking thecover in closed position.

A further object of this invention. is to generally simplify theconstruction of enclosed interlocking u switches and covers, whereby avery rugged and substantially fool-proof structure results.

Referring now to the drawings in which one of the many possible formswhich my invention may take is shown, it will be seen that Fig. 1represents a fragmentary side view partly in section showing the switchand cover in closed position, and in ydotted lines the auxiliary devicein operative position, thereby rendering the interlocking ineffective.

Fig. 2 is a sectional edge view ofthe interlocking device, such sectionbeing taken on the line 2--2 of Fig. 1; and

break multibladed type and in which the casing is usually of metalfurther object of this invention Fig. is a view somewhat similar to 1showing the cover in partly raised position as when it is attempted toraise the cover when the switch is closed and the in- 6o 2, suchaperture being shown at 3 and co- 65 operating with a spring hasp 4.This hasp 4 is provided with an opening 5 adapted to receive a pad lockor similar device lwhereby the cover may be locked in closed position.ated by means of an external handle 61 which is pivotally mounted at 7in the casi',

ing 1. This operating member continues inside of the casing and has ahorizontal operating portion 8, through the medium of the link 9 toactuate the switch blades 10, and position them relatively to thestationary contacts 11. This operating member 8 lis substantially U-shaped and is pivoted ,at the other the casing. The switch mechanism isof the general type shown in my co-pending application Serial No.228,636, iledApril 15, 1918,for electrical switches and interlockingcasings. This electrical mechanism `may include inl addition to thatshown, the conventional clip or plug fuses all mounted upon a singleinsulating base. This switch is shown diagrammatically and it may be ofthe multibladed quick break 90 type. The interlocln'ng mechanismcomprises a bell crank ever 12 pivotally mounted on a pin 13 and soarranged that it may have limited sliding motion upon such pin throughthe medium of the elon- 95 gated slot 14. This bell crank lever 12 hasan arm 15' which extends at right angles to the main or body portion andends in a hook-shapedmember 16. At the upper portion this pivoted leveror latch mern- 100 interlocking mechanism and at its other end 110engages, a hook or finger 22 on the latch member 12. In the positionshown in Fig.

The switch mechanism is operwhich is adapted side of switch This bellcrank lever or latch 1, it will be seen that this depending lug 18 bears'at its "lower portion against' a shoulder 23 on this latch member andforces such latch member downwardly against the action of the spring 20,so that the pin 13 engages the upper portion of the slot 14. This allowsthe horizontal portion 8 of the switch operatingmember to pass freelyover the hook portion 16, as shown in dotted lines in Fig. 1 at 8. Thatis to'say, when the cover is closed the switch may be opened to its fullextent and then closed at .will without being'restrained in any mannerby the latch member12 through the medium of its hook portion 16.

Upon reference to Fig. 3, it will be seen thaty the cover 2 has beenslightly moved upward and that it is restrained from further upwardmotion by the engagement of the hook 17 of the latch member 12 with thedepending lug 1 8. From this itwill be seen that under normal conditionsthe cover cannot be opened when the switch is closed. When, however, theswitch is thrown to full open position, so that the operating member 8occupies the position shown at 8, the latch member 12 is rocked upon itspivot. 13 and the hook 17 is then disengaged from the cooperatingdepending lug 18 and the cover may then be raised. lVhile the cover isin raised position it is impossible to close the switch under normalconditions as the operating member 8 isJ retained by means of the hookportion 16. The above is the normal operation of the device.

When it is desired to inspect the switch while the switch is closed, asuitably equipped person, such as a test man or inspector, may insert akey in a pad lock or similar device, such as shown at 24, and remove thesame, thereby permitting the arm 25 to be moved upwardly away from theco-operating member 26 which. is rigidly mounted upon the casing 1 andto which the. arm 25 is normally locked. This arm 25 rocks a pivotmember 27 which carries on the interior of the casing an arm 28 whichhas mounted thereon a lost motion link device, shown at 29, which isconnected at its other end to the latch member 12 through the medium ofthe pin 30. It will thus be seen that the interlocking of the switch andcover may be rendered ineffective through the operation of this arm 25,as for example, when it is desired to test the system or inspect theswitch while the switch is closed. When the arm 25 has been raised, itthrough the medium of the members 27, 28 and 29 withl draws the latchmember 18 from its normal position, as shown in full lines in Figs. 1and 3 to its ineiective position, as shown in dotted lines in Fig. 1.This allows the. switch and cover to be independently operated.

It will thus be seen that applicant has It is to be understood that theabove q detailed description and the drawings are to be interpreted inan illustrative sense only as the invention is to be limited only asdefined by the following claims I claim 1. In an enclosed switch havinga casing provided with a cover, the combination of switch operatingmeans with interlocking means co-operating with both cover and switchoperating means, s'aid'interlocking means comprising a pivoted bellcrank mem-- ber, and external means for rendering said interlockingmeans temporarily ineffective.

2. In an enclosed switch having a casing provided with a cover, thecombination with switch operating means, of interlocking meansco-operating with both said switch operating means and cover, saidinterlocking means comprising a slotted pivotally mounted bell crankmember, whereby normally the switch cannot be closed while the cover isopen and the cover cannot be opened while the switch is closed, andmeans for rendering said interlocking means temporarily ineffective.

3. In an enclosed switch having a casing provided with a cover, thecombination with switch operating means and interlocking meansco-ope'rating with both cover and switch operating means, saidinterlocking means comprising a slotted `Vbell crank latching member, ofexternal means for rendering the interlocking means temporarilyineifective.

4. In an enclosed switch having a casing provided with a cover, thecombination with switch operating means and interlocking meansco-operating with both cover and switch operating means, saidinterlocking means comprising a member having movement of bothoscillation and translation, of external means for rendering theinterlocking means temporarily ineective.

5. In an enclosed switch having an operating mechanism, the combinationof means for normally preventing access to said switch, comprising abell crank member pivoted on the casing and independent of the switchoperating mechanism, and means for rendering said first-mentioned meansineffective, whereby access may be had to said switch. v .K

6. In an enclosed switch having a casing provided with a cover, thecombination of switch operating means with interlocking meansco-operating with both'said switch operating means and cover, wherebynormally the switch cannot be closed when the cover is` open, `and thecover cannotl be opened while the switch is closed, said'interlockingmeans comprising a spring-pressed bell crank member and means externallyoperable comprising a pivoted lever and intermediate link mechanism fortemporarily rendering said interlocking mechanism ineffective.

7. In an enclosed switch, the combination of switch operating means andinterlocking means comprising a pivoted latch member for preventingaccess to said switch, of means for rendering said interlocking meanstemporarily ineffective, comprising an external pivotally mounted levercontrollingr said latch member and adapted to be locked in one position.

8. In an enclosed switch comprising a casing provided with a cover, thecombination of switch operating means and interlocking means comprisinga spring-pressed bell crank member having a latch adapted to engage theswitch operating member and preventing closure of said switch while thecover is open, of external means for rendery ing said interlocking meanstemporarily ineffective.

' 9. In an enclosed switch comprising a casing provided with. a coverhaving a depending lug, the combination of switch operating means withinterlocking means comprising a bell crank spring-pressed member havinga hook portion adapted to engage said depending lug, whereby normallythe cover cannot be opened While the switch is closed, of means forrendering said interlocking means temporarily ineffective.'

10. In an enclosed switch having a casing rovided with a cover having adepending said lug and the other adapted to engage said switch operatingmeans, of external means adapted to render said interlocking meanstemporarily ineffective ll. In an enclosed switch having a casingprovided with a cover having a depending lug, the combination of switchoperating means and interlocking means having two hook shaped portions,one adapted to engage said lug and the other adapted to engage saidswitch'operating means, of external means adapted to render saidinterlocking means temporarily ineffective, said external means beingadapted to be locked in one position.

12. In an enclosed switch having a casing provided with a cover having adepending lug, the combination of' switch operating means, of'interlocking means comprising a spring-pressed slotted bell crank memberhaving two hook shaped portions, one adapted to engage said dependinglng and the other adapted to engage said switch operating means, ofmeans for rendering said interlocking means temporarily ineffective.

.13'. In an enclosed switch having a casing provided with a cover havinga depending lug,1the combination of' switch operating means, ofinterlocking means comprising a spring-pressed slotted bell crank memberhaving two hook shaped portions, one adapted to engage said dependinglugand the other adapted to engage said switch operating means, of externalmeans adapted to render said interlocking means temporarily ineffectiveand arrangedto be locked in one position.

BRYSON DEXTER HORTON.'

